Device for the retention and ignition of rocket projectiles



06L 1962 s. MANZ ETAL 3,059,542

DEVICE FOR THE RETENTION AND IGNITION OF ROCKET PROJECTILES Filed Nov. 24, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 2E1]; Fig.1

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DEVICE FOR THE RETENTION AND IGNITION OF ROCKET PROJECTILES Filed Nov. 24, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 In ins/176A; 5. Maaz f Lin/{ ,5 k? I Q4 814% {flo s 3&59542 Patented Oct. 23, 1962 Flee 3,059,542 DEVICE FOR THE RETENTION AND IGNITION F ROCKET PROJECTHLES Samuel Manz, Eschen, Liechtenstein, and Johannes Linke, Zurich, Switzerland, assignors to Machine Tool Works Oerlikon, Administration Company, Zurich-(lerlikon, Switzerland, a company of Switzerland Filed Nov. 24, 1958, Ser. No. 775,829 Claims priority, application Switzerland Nov. 26, 1957 3 Claims. (Cl. 89--1.7)

The invention relates to a device for retaining and igniting rocket projectiles in the loading chamber of a magazine rocket projector.

The invention has the main object of improving a retaining device known for single rocket launching tubes into which rockets are fed singly in the direction of firing, and to adapt it for use with rocket magazine projectors wherein the rocket projectiles are fed by a conveyer means into the loading chamber transversely of the direction of firing.

Since in such magazine rocket projectors a high cadence of firing is aimed at, it is necessary to make the individual rocket projectiles enter the loading chamber at a high speed. It is also an object of the present invention to prevent a subsequent rocket projectile from making an impact on a preceding one which has not left the loading chamber owing to a delay in or failure of launching the same. It is another object of the invention to prevent a rocket projectile entering into the loading chamber at high speed transversely of the direction of firing from bouncing off the firing contacts therein and thereby delaying the launching.

It is yet another object of the invention to stop the feeding of a new rocket into the loading chamber only temporarily in the event of a short delay in the launching of the preceding rocket projectile until such launching is completed, while in the case of failure to launch said preceding projectile altogether to stop the feeding of a new rocket projectile into the loading chamber until the faulty rocket projectile has been removed therefrom.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a device in which, as distinguished from the aforesaid device known for single launching tubes, the resilient forces detaining a rocket projectile in the launching position are not substantially increased when being overcome by the rocket projectile leaving the loading chamber on being launched.

With these and other object in view which will become apparent later from this specification and its accompanying drawings, I provide in and for a magazine rocket projector a device for retaining and igniting a rocket projectile, having a flange at its rear end, comprising in combination: a loading chamber, contact claws having oblique faces mounted pivotally and axially movably on and in their rest position protruding into the said loading chamber, a spring connected to the said loading chamber and contact claws acting perpendicular to the axis of the said loading chamber and biasing the said contact claws with said oblique faces against the said flange of the rocket projectile, a return spring arranged parallel to the axis of the said loading chamber and biasing the said contact claws in the direction of firing, the said contact claws when moving axially in the direction of firing forcibly performing a swinging movement directed away from the rocket projectile without additionally loading the said spring acting perpendicular to the axis of the loading chamber.

Preferably such a device comprises also a contact carrier carrying the said contact claws, two lugs having a common pivot axis and forming a double joint articulating said contact carrier to the said loading chamber, the first of the said two lugs being articulated to the said loading chamber and in the rest position lying parallel to the axis of the said loading chamber, and the other lug being articulated to the said contact carrier and lying perpendicular to the axis of the said loading chamber, the said contact carrier performing an evasive movement perpendicular to the axis of the said loading chamber about the fixed pivot point of the said first lug on the said loading chamber, and a swinging movement parallel to the axis of the said loading chamber about the said common pivot axis of both said lugs.

Preferably the said spring acting perpendicular to the axis of the said loading chamber engages on the said double joint adjacent the said common axis of the said two lugs.

The device according to the invention may comprise a feeder device in operation feeding rocket projectiles to the loading chamber, an electric motor, an electric current source, a clutch detachably connecting the said electric motor to the said feeder device, a brake operatively connected to and when operated stopping the said feeder device, a relay having a coil electrically connected to the said current source and to the said contact claw and contacts electrically connected to the said current source, electric motor, clutch and brake respectively, the said relay being energised by a rocket projectile fed into the said loading chamber by the said feeder device and being de-energised by any rocket duly launched before responding to being energised, but upon delayed or failing launching of a rocket projectile opening the contacts for the said motor and clutch, and closing the contact for the said brake, thus stopping the said feeder device. The said contact claws are arranged in the range of a rocket projectile entering the loading chamber so as to be bridged over by said projectile, one of the said contacts being arranged axially out of the range of a rocket projectile having moved forward from the position assumed by it when entering the loading chamber.

These and other objects and features of my said invention will become clear from the following description of two embodiments thereof given by way of example With reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a side elevation of a first embodiment of the device in the rest position;

FIG. 2 shows the device as viewed in the direction of the arrow F of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section on the line I II--HI of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are side elevations of the device according to FIG. 1 in other operational positions;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section of a second embodiment of the device;

FIG. 7 shows an electric wiring diagram of the ignition current supply to the contact claws of the embodi ment according to FIG. 6 at the moment of launching the ignited rocket,

FIG. 8 shows the wiring diagram accordinng to FIG. 7 in the case of a delayed ignition.

FIGURE 9 shows a cross sectional view of the feeding device.

The ignition and detaining device is fitted to the loading trough I of a magazine rocket projector (FIG. 1). This loading trough forms the closure of the shaft 2 (FIG. 3) through which the rockets are moved from the magazine by a feeder device (not shown), for example a feeder drum, into the launching Position. During the launching the circumferential surfaces of the feeder drum, which is arranged parallel to the loading trough, form together with a closure face of a rocker and with the loading trough, a temporarily closed loading chamber, which joins up rearwardly co-axially with the launching tube proper.

In lugs 1 connected with the loading trough 3 a forked member 4 is mounted pivotally about an axle 5 perpendicular to the axis of the loading chamber the arms 4a of which have outwardly directed pins 4b parallel to the pivot axis, on which two lugs 6 are pivotally mounted. To these lugs 6 pins 611 are connected, which are parallel to and offset a small distance from the pivot axis, on which pins 6a springs 7 are articulated which are attached to the loading trough and act in the direction of feed of the rocket.

The contact carrier 8 is designed in the shape of a frame. On the rear end the walls 8b are arranged projecting from the frame 8a and articulated by pins 9 to the lugs 6. A further articulated joint of the contact carrier is formed by the pin 10 fitted to its forward end, which is guided in a longitudinal slot 1b of a projection 1a of the loading trough. A return spring 11 abutting a spring sleeve 12 connected to the loading trough acts on the end of the contact carrier in the direction opposite to the launching direction of the rocket.

The contact claw for detaining and igniting the rocket consists of the contact finger 13, the locking body 16 and the resilient contact pin 14, which is movable in the direction of feed of the rockets. This contact pin is inserted into the contact carrier insulated from it by an insulating body (see FIG. 6), and the contact finger 13 and contact pin 14, respectively, are connected in a manner not shown with the two poles of an ignition current source. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, in the rest position of the ignition device, these contacts protrude into the loading chamber through a window 1c indimated in FIG. 2 in dotted lines. The longitudinal axis of this Window lies in the middle plane of the shaft 2 which is at the same time the plane of symmetry of the ignition and detaining device.

The claw composed of the locking body 16 and the contact finger 1 3 secures a rocket 20, which is in its launching position, against being moved in the direction of the axis of the loading chamber. In the first embodiment of the device the locking body 16 is fixedly built into the contact carrier 8.

The manner of operation of the device according to this assembly is as follows:

The rocket 20, which has been moved into the loading chamber, has not quite reached the launching position in the disposition illustrated in FIG. 1, but has reached the position in which the flange at the stern of the rocket by its margins a and 2% comes into contact with the claw consisting of the contact finger 13 and locking body 16, and in which the contact pin 14 touches a contact ring 200, whereby the ignition is initiated when the ignition current is switched on. The rocket is detained between the two knife-like edges 13a of the contact finger 13 and 16b of the locking body 16, respectively, until the moment of the launching is reached. In this position of the device the arms 4a of the forked member are forced by the springs 7 against an abutment on the loading trough 1. On the remainder of the path to the launching position of the rocket its kinetic energy is then transmitted from the contact carrier 8 through the lugs 6 oriented with their longitudinal axis in the direction of the feed of the rockets, to the springs 7 acting in the same direction, whereby the same are further loaded. The arms 4a and with them also the rear end of the contact carrier turn slightly downward in accordance with the stretching of the springs.

At the beginning of the launching movement the rocket bears with the forward margin 20b of its stern against the oblique edge 16b of the locking body 16. Thereby the contact carrier is moved forward against the bias of the weak return spring 11, and at the same time its rear end with the lugs 6 and the ignition contact pieces and the locking body is swung downward, until the stern of the rocket is freed and can slide away over the locking body 16 (FIG. 4). The return spring 11 subsequently pushes the device back into the rest position.

For the purpose of removing a rocket from the loading chamber, for example in the case of a failure to ignite, the device may be lowered by means of a special tool into the position shown in FIG. 5, in which the way to the rear is cleared. In this position no moment can be applied to the lugs 6 by the contact carrier 8, which is subject to the bias of the return spring 11, and accordingly the device cannot be pushed back into the rest position.

Thereby, as the springs 7 engage on the arms 4a at the points of articulation of the lugs 6 or at a small distance therefrom, the requirement is fulfilled, that by these springs braking the rockets no force' hampering the launching movement of the rockets should be applied to the contact carrier and to the locking body 16, since the rocking movement of the contact carrier 8 directed away from the rocket does not involve any additional loading of the springs 7.

KG. 6 shows a further embodiment of the invention. This device differs from the first embodiment in that the locking body 16 is likewise designed as a contact piece, and is attached to the contact carrier 8 insulated and rotatable through a small angle. The locking body 16 is pivotally mounted between the insulating bodies 15 and 18 on the likewise insulated axle 17. On its arm 16a engages a spring 19, the other end of which engages into a lug 21, which is likewise attached insulated on the contact carrier 8. The spring 19 pulls the locking body 16 into the position shown in FIG. 6, in which its edge 16c abuts the edge of the insulating body 18. When launching the rocket, the margin 20b of the flange bears on the oblique face 16b of the locking body, and turns the same about its axle 17, until its edge 16c abuts the oblique edge 18a of the insulating body 18, whereafter the whole contact carrier 8 is shifted in the direction of firing. The current supply leads to the contact pieces 14 and 16 are diagrammatically indicated and are denoted 22 and 23, respectively.

For the explanation of the operational purpose of this device it is necessary to describe the feeder mechanism and the ignition device of the rocket projector in more detai FIGS. 7 and 8 show the electric wiring diagram for the elements of the feed drive and for the ignition device, FIG. 7 illustrating the state of feed, and FIG. 8 the state of no feed in the case of a failure to ignite.

The rockets are fed in the usual manner as shown in Patent 2,915,945 granted December 8, 1959 to J. Linke et al. one after the other by a feeder drum 41 through the shaft 2 (FIGS. 3 and 9) into the loading trough 1. The feeder drum 41 is driven uniformly by an electric motor 39 through the spur wheels 42, 43, and 44 and the bevel gears 45 and 46 when firing a series of shots. Between the motor 36 and the bevel gear 46 moreover an electromagnetic clutch 37 and an electromagnetically operated brake are arranged, which permit an immediate stopping of the feeder device as soon as the current supply to the motor 39 is interrupted, in that the clutch 37 separates the motor 39 from the feeder drum 4 1 and the brake immediately brings the feeder drum 41 to a standstill. The electromagnetic clutch 37 and the electromagnetically operated brake 35 are of conventional type and known to one skilled in the art and are therefore not especially described with all details.

These elements are also diagrammatically illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. A current source 31 supplies the electric energy for driving the feeder means and for igniting the rockets. A relay 33 operates the contact pieces 34, 36 and 38, which open and close the circuits of the electromagnetically operated brake 35, magnetic clutch 37 and motor 39, respectively.

A rocket 20 in its launching position (FIG. 8) bridges over the two contact pieces 16 and 13, and thereby closes the circuit of the relay 3%. The contact ring 20c of the rocket is insulated from the mass thereof, and is connected to this mass only through the incandescent Wire of the firing capsule 40 (FIG. 8) for the propulsive charge, while the margins 29a and 20b are conductively connected to the mass of the rocket. For the purpose of ignition the circuit is closed through the contact piece 14, The contact ring 20c, the incandescent wire of the firing capsule 40 and finally the contact piece 13.

On the basis of this wiring diagram the device operates as follows:

For the purpose of firing the switch 32 is closed. The circuit of the brake 25 is opened by the contact piece 34, and the brake is released. The circuit of the clutch 37 is closed by the contact piece 36, and thereby the clutch is engaged. The motor 39, which is likewise in a closed circuit, starts running. The feeder drum is thereby driven, and feeds the first rocket towards the launching position in the loading chamber. As soon as this position is reached, the two contact pieces 16 and 13 are bridged over by the mass of the rocket, and the circuit of the relay 33 is closed (see FIG. 8). At the same time the contact piece 14 comes into contact with the contact ring 200 of the rocket, whereby the firing circuit is closed and the propulsive charge is ignited. After a very short period the rocket is set in motion, and its rear end moves away from the contact piece 13 in that the contact piece 16 turns about its axle 17, so that the relay 33 becomes at oncede-energized again. In FIG. 7 the rocket is shown in this position. When the ignition operates faultlessly, the rocket releases the contact piece 13 so quickly, that the relay 33 does not respond at all, and the contacts 36 and 38 are not opened at all. The feeder drum accordingly continues without interruption feeding further rockets into the launching position, the circuit of the relay being at any time preliminarily closed and the launching of the rockets being superintended.

When however, a rocket stays at least for a short period longer in the launching position than during a normal launching operation, this time lag being of the order of magnitude of some milliseconds, the relay 33 responds in that the contact pieces 34, 36 and 38 are brought into the position shown in FIG. 8. Thereby the brake 35 is applied, the clutch 37 is disengaged, and the circuit of the motor 39 is interrupted. The conveyer drum is thereby stopped immediately so that the next subsequent rocket does not hit the rocket, which is in the launching position, whereby an impact-like wear of the conveyor drum and of the gearing is prevented. In the case of a failure to ignite the drive remains interrupted, while in the case of a merely delayed launching the former condition of feeding is automatically restored by interrupting the circuit of the relay 33 at the contact piece 13.

The pivotal mounting of the locking body 16 serving in this embodiment as an additional contact piece accordingly permits immediately after the firing of the rocket an interruption of the current supply to the relay 33-; since the margin 20a of the flange 20 detaches itself from the edge 13a of the contact piece when moving the locking body 16, and thereby interrupts the current supply to the relay, before the contact claw as a whole releases the rocket flange.

While I have described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings what may be considered typical and particularly useful embodiments of my said invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the particular details and dimensions described and illustrated; for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A rocket projectile feeding control device comprising a rocket magazine for projectiles having a flange,

a loading chamber, a loading shaft connecting said magazine and chamber, electrically operated feeding means adjacent said loading chamber to feed projectiles from said magazine laterally through said loading shaft to a launching position in said loading chamber, an electrical circuit including a source of current and said feeding means, contact claw means mounted movably and resiliently on said chamber and protruding into said loading chamber to engage the flange of a projectile in launching position, said contact claw means comprising a contact carrier and two insulated contact claws mounted on said carrier forming together with said flange a portion of said electrical circuit, one of said contact claws contacting the rear edge of said flange and being connected to one pole of said source of current, the other of said contact claws being connected to the other pole of said source of current and contacting the front edge of said flange and means resiliently mounting said other contact claw on said carrier movably in launching direction relative to said carrier to bring said first mentioned contact claw out of contact with said rear edge at the beginning of the movement of said carrier to break said electrical circuit to control said feeding means.

2. A rocket projectile feeding control device, comprising a rocket magazine for projectiles having a flange, a loading chamber, a loading shaft connecting said magazine and chamber, electrically operated feeding means adjacent said loading chamber to feed projectiles from said magazine laterally through said loading shaft to a launching position in said loading chamber, an electrical circuit including a source of current and said feeding means, contact claw means mounted movably and resiliently on said chamber and protruding into said loading chamber to engage the flange of a projectile in launching position, said contact claw means comprising a contact carrier and two insulated contact claws mounted on said carrier forming together with said flange a portion of said electrical circuit, one of said contact claws being fixed to said carrier contacting the rear edge of said flange and being connected to one pole of said source of current, the other of said contact claws contacting the front edge of said flange and means resiliently mounting said other contact claw on said carrier movably in launching direction relative to said carrier to bring said first mentioned contact claw out of contact with said rear edge at the beginning of the movement of said carrier to break said electrical circuit, a relay connecting the other of said two contact claws with the other pole of said current source and a switch controlled by said relay interposed in said circuit between said feeding means and said current source to control said feeding means.

3. A control device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said feeding means comprises an electrical motor, an electromagnetic clutch and an electromagnetically operated brake also cooperating with said motor and wherein said relay controls said motor, said clutch and said brake to deenergize said motor and said clutch and to energize said brake upon actuation of said relay.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,448,962 DArdenne Sept. 7, 1948 2,460,929 Golf Feb. 8, 1949 2,469,350 Lauritsen May 10, 1949 2,485,715 Eastman Oct. 25, 1949 2,598,001 Kunz May 27, 1952 2,789,470 Bronson Apr. 23, 1957 2,830,497 Smoot et al. Apr. 15, 1958 2,908,200 Linke Oct. 13, 1959 

